Folding poultry-coop.



PATENTEID MAY 12, 1908.

B.I:".FERGUSON. FOLDING POULTRY COOP.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 1.1907.

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No; 887,080. PATENTED MAY 12, 1908i B.F.FERGUSON. FOLDING POULTRY COOP.

APPLIUATION FILED APR. 1.1907.

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strips, 2, which serve BENJAMIN F. FERGUSON, OF TISHOMINGO, OKLAHOMA.

. FOLDING POULTRY-COOP.

Specification of Letters Patent. I

Patented May 12, 1908.

Application filed April 1, 1907. Serial No. 365,832.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN F. FERGU- SON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Tishomingo, Chickasaw Nation, Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Folding Poultry-Coop; and 1 do declare the 'lollowing'to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which. it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in folding poultry coops.

The object of the invention is to provide a coo of this kind which may be quickly and readily folded into a small, compact form to facilitate the shipping or storing of the same.

\Vith this object in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, F igure 1 is a top plan view of the coop set up in position for use; Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal sectional view; Fig. 3 is an end elevation; Fig. 4 is a vertical cross sectional view; Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the coop when folded Fig. 6 is a side view of the same, Fig. 7 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view Fig. 8 is an end elevation of the folded coop; and Fig. l) is a vertical cross sectional view of the same.

In the embodiment of my invention, I provide a base or floor section, 1, having on its underside adjacent to its opposite ends, cross to strengthen and brace said base section. of the base section adjacent to its opposite ends are arranged pairs of cross strips, 3,

which are spaced apart and held in parallel relation by means of spacing blocks, 4, arranged between said strips at the corners of the base section, and by a central spacing block, 4. and braced in position by corner brace blocks, 5, which extend longitudinally along the side edges of the base section .and are provided with right angularlyformed notches, 6, by means of which the brace blocks are engaged with the opposite ends of the cross strips, 3, and spacing blocks, 4.

Arranged on the upper cross strip, 3, are end sections, 7, said sections comprising uper and lower cross bars, 8, which are spaced apart and held in position by a series of ver- On the upperside v The strips, 3, are firmly secured tically disposed cross slats, 9, which also form a slatted. closure for the ends of the coop. The lower bar, 8, is provided on its ends with longitudinally projecting cylindrical tenons, ].(),which serve as pivots and are mounted in bearing passages formed in the corner brace blocks of the end sections 7. By pivotally connecting the end sections with said corner blocks, the former may be swung outwardly or inwardly to an operative or inoperative position. On the underside of the upper bar, 8, is formed a centrally disposed laterally )rojecting lug, 12, having pivotally mounted therein a locking hook, 13, the purpose for which will. be hereinafter described.

The body of the coop consists of a top section,1.4, comprising a series of longitudinally disposed bars, 15, which are arranged in par.

allel relation and are connected at their outer ends by cross pieces, 16, said pieces having formed in their lower edges oppositely disosed rectangular notches, or recesses, 17, with which are adapted to be engaged the lugs, 12, on the end. section of the coop, said lugs serving to furnish a support for the body portion of the coop and prevent the same from careening sidewise when in a set-up position for use. The end sections are adapted to be locked into engagement with the ends of the body portion of the coop by means of the hooks, 13, which, when the lugs 12 are engaged with the notches 17, are adapted to be turned upwardly into engagement with the inner side of the cross bars, 16, of the top section, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawing.

The outer longitudinal bars, 15, of the top section are provided on their ends with reduced cylindrical tenons, 18, which are adapted to pivotally engage bearing passages formed in the end cross pieces, 16, whereby said outer bars 15 may be turned or revolved between said end pieces, 16.

The outer bars 15 of the top section also form the upper bar of the side sections of the coop, the lower bar 19 of said side sections being connected to the upper bar 15 by a series of slats, 20, thereby forming the slatted side sections of the coop. Thelower longigitudinal bars, 19, oi the side sections are provided on their opposite ends with reduced cylindrical tenons, 21, which are slidably engaged with the slots or spaces formed between the cross strips, 3, on the ends of the base section of the coop. By pivotally sired, be

mounting the ends of the upper bars, 15, of the side sections in the cross pieces 16 of the top, and slidably engaging the reduced ends of the lower bars 19 with the spaces between the bars 3, said side sections of the coop may be swung inwardly at their lower ends, thereby drawing the top section downwardly and folding said side sections between the top and bottom sections of the coop, as shown. When the side sections are thus folded inwardly between the top and bottom sections of the coop, the projecting ends of the lower longitudinal bars 19 will fit into the notches 17 in the end pieces 16 of the top section. It will be understood that before the side sections of the coop can be folded inwardly, that the end pieces must be released from the ends of the top section and swung outwardly to disengage the lugs 12 from the notches 17 in the strip 16. After the side sections have been folded inwardly between the top and bottom sections of the coop, the ends sections are then folded inwardly and downwardly onto the upper section of the coop, as shown, thereby providing for the compact folding of the coop.

When the side sections of the coop are raised or in an operative position, they are adapted to be braced and held in such position by means of a brace bar, or strip, 22, which is pivotally mounted on the upper side of the bottom section of the coop, and is adapted to be swung across said section to engage the ends thereof with the lower longitudinal bars of the side section, thus preventing said sections from being forced inwardly at their lower edges. hen it is desired to fold the coop, the bar, 22, is turned lengthwise or longitudinally on the cross section, thus permitting said sides to be folded inwardly, as described. The top section of the coop is provided with a series of cross slats, 23, which are spaced apart and secured to the intermediate longitudinal bars of the top section to form a slatted closure or top for the coop. The ends of the slats 23 project over the outer longitudinal bars 15 of the top section but are not fastened thereto, so that said outer bars may be readily turned to fold the side sections of the coop, as de scribed.

The top section of the coop, may, if derovided with a suitable door, 24, which is l ingedly connected thereto in any suitable manner.

While I have shown and described the body of the coop as being of slatted construction, it is obvious that the same may be con structed of wire, netting, or other suitable material.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the invention may be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention as defined in the appended claim.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters- Patent, is:

A folding poultry coop, comprising a base section, end cross bars spaced apart and secured to the opposite ends of said. base section, brace blocks to hold said cross bars in place, a body portion comprising a top sec tion, consisting of outer and intermediate longitudinally disposed bars, cross bars to connect the opposite ends of said longitudinal bars, side sections pivotally connected at their upper outer ends to the end bars of said top section and engaged at their lower outer ends with the space between the bars on the ends of said base section, end sections pivotally mounted at their lower outer ends between said brace blocks on the base section and adapted to be swung upwardly into engagement with the ends of the top section, lugs on the upper portion of said end sections adapted to be swung into engagement with notches formed in the end bars of the top sectiontwhen said sections are in an opera tive position, locking hooks mounted in lugs on said end sections and adapted to be turned into engagement with the end cross bar of the top section to hold the coop in an operative position, and a cross bar pivotally mounted on the base section and adapted to be turned into engagement with the lower edges of the said sections to hold the latter in an operative position, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand 1n presence of two subscribing wit- HBSSBS.

BENJAMIN F. FERGUSON Witnesses:

J. R. UPSHAW, CATEsBY W. TAYLOR. 

